Oneshot - Thistles and Thorns - Caesar's Palace Monthly Contest Entry
by River of Broken Souls
Summary: She was always safe, her mother protecting her from any harm. When the one cat who offered her solace disappeared, she didn't know what to think. Then, he comes. His mission is to take over that clans, and he has the sneakiest plan to do so. The kitten is wary at first, but in the end is ready to save the clan that saved her.


**This is for the forum Caesar's Palace and their monthly one-shot competition. Enjoy!**

 **Prompt:** _"All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise."_

* * *

 _Thistles and Thorns_

The sky was as dark as the shadows that filtered through the dying leaves. Frigid wind blew through the air, and stormy grey clouds littered the sky, blocking out any trace of the warm sun the kitten had come to know. She crouched down in the rocky alley way, shivering as the cold wind seeped through her fluffy kitten fur. Her legs brought her up against a brick wall, and she pushed herself into it, flattening her body into the shadows. There, she waited. Waited for her mother, the only cat who could bring her solace on a night like this.

The kitten looked up as she heard a shallow sound echoing through the alley. Her ears perked up as she listened, and her nose twitched frantically. When the sour scent hit her, she recoiled in shock. This scent did not belong to her mother. She looked around frantically, trying to spot a place to hide from the mysterious cat coming towards her. Before she had a change to run, she felt someone press her down, shoving her muzzle into the rocks beneath her.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here!"

The voice was rich and smooth, most definitely male. The kitten shivered in fright. She tried to push herself upwards, but felt the weight press down upon her once again, forcing her back into the dirt.

"'One little scrap, shivering in the cold. What's wrong, no mother to protect you? How heartbreaking...'

The kitten felt hot breath on her ears as the cat drew closer.

"You're quite lucky I found you, then. Everyone knows that _bad things_ happen to little kittens who get caught all by themselves in places they shouldn't be.'"

He let out a chuckle, causing shivers to run through the kitten's spine. She started to squirm, but he held her down easily.

"What, trying to leave already? I haven't even introduced myself yet! My name is Thorn, and this area belongs to _my_ gang. I don't suppose you've heard of us?"

Her attacker increased the pressure on her windpipe, crushing the poor kitten beneath his black paws. The kitten spluttered gasped for air, struggling to get anything through her tiny airways. Thorn chuckled and pressed down harder, completely cutting off the kitten's air.

"Go to sleep kitten. Maybe you'll find your mother when you wake up."

Black dots swarmed the kittens vision, and her feeble attempts to escape from him were cut short. As the wave of black threatened to take her over, she heard stones being kicked up behind her. Thorn snarled, his eyes narrowed with frustration. The kit felt a claw scratch down her cheek, and a liquid substance pool from the wound. The weight had lifted, but by that time the kitten was out cold.

* * *

The kitten could hear voices through her stormy haze. They sounded jumbled to her, but she made out the scent of other cats. She started to shiver remembering what the strange cat had told her. _Thorn._

 _"Everyone knows that bad things happen to little kittens who get caught all by themselves in places they shouldn't be."_

The kitten started to shake, her soft paws digging into the mossy ground beneath her. She let out a tiny mewl, hoping that someone would help her. Then, she felt a warm tongue rasp across her head. It felt comforting. The kitten was surprised to say the least. Why would someone who was trying to kill her, comfort her as if she was their own kit. Confused, the kitten opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was the grey stone wall surrounding her. The floor was covered in soft moss, and little piles of aromatic plants lay in the crevices of the cave. This was not where the rogue had left her.

"You're awake!''

The kitten's head whirled around to meet the voice. In front of her stood a larger cat, though he didn't give off a dangerous vibe like the other one. He had short brown tabby fur, and his eyes were a kind pale green. He was smiling at the kitten, making her feel safe and welcome.

"Who are you?"

The kitten asked, her voice raspy after the ordeal she had went through. She looked up at the cat, curiosity glinting in her bright blue eyes.

"I'm Larksong, the Medicine cat of Stoneclan!"

The gears inside the kittens mind whirled. _Medicine cat? Stoneclan? What do all these words mean?_

"Don't worry little kit. These words will make sense to you in time."

Larksong bent over and licked the kitten on top of her small head. The kitten closed her eyes and let out a small purr. This new cat made her feel safe. Suddenly, a shadow came over her and she squeaked in alarm. She saw a new cat, this time a female. She had snow-white fur and piercing amber eyes, though they shined with kindness.

"Larksong, may I speak with our guest alone?"

The medicine cat opened his mouth as if he were going to reply with something, bu thought better of it. He nodded his his brown tabby head and padded out of the den, rustling a few orange leaves as he did so.

"Greeting kit. My name is Icestar, the leader of Stoneclan."

The kitten looked up at the new cat, her blue eyes widening. She attempted to speak, but the older cat cut her off.

"I know you have many questions, and we will get to them soon. May I ask you one first?"

The kitten didn't know how to reply, so she gave an awkward nod.

"What's you name?"

The small kitten looked down hesitantly before replying.

"Thistle."

* * *

"Thistlepaw! Thistlepaw!"

The small kit, now apprentice stood up sheepishly, a small smile creeping onto her face. The cheers flew from cat's mouths like thunder, warmly welcoming the newcomer as one of their own. For this, Thistlepaw was grateful. A ginger tabby she-cat approached her, blue eyes shinning."

"Come Thistlepaw, let's start your training."

The cat, Sparkwing, spoke. Thistlepaw looked up at her new mentor a smiled widely. Her mentor began to pad away from the stony camp, Thistlepaw following jubilantly. The two padded through the forest, Thistlepaw gazing up at the green leaves, eyes excited to see spring start to shine. She felt something drip on her forehead, and quickly looked up to see melted snow falling from the pristine leaves. Soon, the two cats had made their way to a dusty clearing, their pelts ruffled with moisture. Sparkwing motioned with her tail that the apprentice was meant to sit down.

"Now usually, I would show you the territory, maybe even teach you to hunt. Instead, you are going to learn to fight."

The ginger tabby stopped speaking, gazing directly at her apprentice. The younger cat nodded, familiar with the reason.

"Rogues have been stealing from us for moons, and you know first hand how merciless they can be."

The scar on Thistlepaw's cheek tingled.

"We are preparing for battle."

Sparkwing finished, venom in her voice. Her blue eyes were hardened, and her lips were curled in a snarl. Her tail lashed behind her furiously, and Thistlepaw was slightly scared of her, even though she was her mentor.

"Now jump at me."

Thistlepaw looked at her mentor, shocked. Sparkwing gazed at her in fury.

"If you stand around like that in battle, you'll be dead!"

Thistlepaw hesitated for a moment before she snarled and leapt, sailing through the air. She barreled into her mentor, knocking the tabby to the ground. She pummeled her, claws sheathed so she wouldn't harm her mentor. Soon though, Sparkwing had the she-cat pinned. She gracefully stepped off her apprentice. Thistlepaw scrambled to her paws and gave her white chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks.

"Don't be embarrassed. You did very good for your first time."

Sparkwing's eyes were no longer filled with the fury from earlier, but instead with pride. Thistlepaw shone. Her claws dug into the ground, and she mentally vowed to never let these rogues harm anyone like they had harmed her.

* * *

Two she-cats sat inside the apprentice cave, the moonlight that filtered through reflecting on their pelts. One was a silver tabby with bright blue eyes that shone through the midnight darkness. The other was a smaller brown she cat, her amber eyes appearing almost black in the night. The brown one spoke.

"Thistlepaw, are you ever afraid to fall asleep?"

The silver she-cat glanced towards her friend, Lilypaw. Her ears raised in question.

"Why would I ever be afraid?"

Lilypaw sighed before looking down. Her next words came out in a mumble, so quite that Thistlepaw had to crane her ears to hear.

"I could go to sleep, and never wake up. Or worse, I wake up and the rogues are attacking, and everyone that I had ever loved is dead. I could wake up just to see my murderer in front of me! I could wake up and see-"

Lilypaw chocked on her last words.

"I could wake up and see you dead in front of me."

Thistlepaw looked at her best friend in shock. Her ears lowered down, and she tried to mask her feeling with a calm expression. She licked the top of her best friends brown tabby head, comforting the shaking she-cat.

"Don't worry Lilypaw. I'l always be here for you."

* * *

"Lilypaw!"

Thistlepaw moved towards the she-cat, her white paws thundering against the rocky ground. Her best friend was laying across a slab of stone, her breaths coming out in shallow gasps.

"Thistle..."

Thistlepaw collapsed near her friend, kicking up dust as she did so. She heard paw steps from behind her, but they sounded a million miles away.

"Lilypaw! What happened?"

The brown tabby she-cat gasped for breath. A gaping wound went down her chest, blood flowing freely from the black slash. Thistlepaw's eyes widened, and she looked around frantically.

"Don't..."

Thistlepaw whirled around to face her best friend. Lilypaw was barely breathing, but her amber eyes were calm. At that moment Thistlepaw knew, no matter how much she tried to deny it. Her best friend was dying.

"I love you.."

Lilypaw whispered, and Thistlepaw had to lean in to hear.

"I love you to."

Thistlepaw croaked, tears forming at the edges of her glassy blue eyes. She gave her friend one last lick on the top of her head. Lilypaw gazed up at her, smiling. Then, her chest stopped moving. Thistlepaw cried out in grief, tears falling down her cheeks. She felt someone tap her shoulder, and saw a familiar ginger tabby.

"We need to get back to camp. The other warrior will come get her."

Sparkwing said gently, nosing the silver tabby to her paws. Thistlepaw was too numb to respond, let alone refuse. She stumbled onto her paws, leaning against her mentor for support. As they left the clearing, other warriors padded in, some giving of shocked gasps as they saw the now dead apprentice. Thistlepaw looked away, unable to see her best friend for any longer

"Oh my Starclan..."

Thistlepaw didn't care what they were talking about. She continued to walk, but halted once the clearing become completely silent. She looked back, and her eyes instantly fell upon what every other cats was looking at.

There was a tuft of familiar black fur in between Lilypaw's claws.

* * *

Thistlepaw stood below the leaders ledge, her ear pricked upwards. Her claws were restlessly digging into the rock beneath her. She gazed upwards, here normally bright blue eyes narrowed and dark. She watched as her Icestar stood on top of the ledge, her white pelt shining in the moonlight.

"The rogues have been terrorizing us for more moons that we can count. Tonight, we fight back. They've taken our prey, our land, and even our cats. I speak on behalf of every cat who has ever come into contact with these rogues. They must leave, whether we chase them off or kill every last one of them."

Thistlepaw was the first to yowl her approval, louder than any other cat. Soon the whole clan joined in with a chorus of yowls.

"Tonight, we fight!"

Icestar leaped off the rock. She lead the way out of camp, the rest of the clan following behind her, save for a few queens and elders. Thistlepaw was one of the first behind the leader, not able to hold back.

These rouges had terrorized her clan, killed her mother, and killed her best friend.

All her life she had been waiting for this one moment to arise.

* * *

 **05/16/2016**


End file.
